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Co-directors Zang Chun and Liang Xuan labored for 12 years to bring their animated fantasy Big Fish and Begonia to fruition. Inspired by a dream one of the directors had—about a small fish that grew too big for any container—Big Fish and Begonia tells a tale similar to Miyazaki’s Spirited Away: A heroic girl, Chun, lives in a world of mythical monsters whose presence and histories remain as mysterious as they first seem. (Chun’s grandfather is married to a phoenix! Okay!)

Suzette Smith is the arts & culture editor of the Portland Mercury. Go ahead and tell her about all your food, art, and culture gripes: suzette@portlandmercury.com. Follow her on Twitter, Bluesky,...